The benefits of learning true independence

The benefits of learning true independence

Simon Marcus Gower, Jakarta

As the noted date in Indonesia's calendar of Aug. 17
approaches, homes and business premises alike become adorned in
the red and white of this nation's flag and the word
"independence" increasingly crosses people's lips. It is, then,
perhaps ironic (and conceivably really rather sad) that children
in Indonesia are quite consistently not really given sufficient
opportunities to learn of and exercise their powers of
independence.

Across a broad spectrum of Indonesian society examples may be
found of children that are really not getting a chance to develop
as independent individuals and thinking citizens of this nation.
In a significant and regrettable sense, children are often
effectively being helped to be helpless and, of course, this is
neither a useful or healthy environment for them to grow up in.

From the very rich to the more typically less well-off there
are examples of children that are either being over-protected or
else over-restricted to such a degree that one is forced to
wonder what the consequences are for their development. The
example of a child, from a rather more affluent Indonesian
family, being taken to school illustrates this point; and it
should be pointed out that a child of this same age in many other
places and circumstances in the world would neither need nor want
to be taken to school.

This child, attending elementary school, lived within a short
distance of the school that his parents had very deliberately
chosen for him to attend. Many would describe the distance as
"within a mere stone's throw" whilst everyone would, it is
reasonable to countenance, describe the journey from his home to
the school as well within walking distance.

However, the chosen mode of transport for this child was/ is
bicycle. Now, again, in many other places and circumstances the
obvious conclusion here would be that the child would ride his
own bicycle to school. Indeed it might be considered more typical
for a child to want, even demand, to ride his own bicycle to
school perhaps even with some self-pride.

But no; this child would sit on the back of the bicycle in
what might be described as a baby's seat whilst his parents' maid
provided the pedal power and steering of the bicycle. As if this
were not enough to cause one to frown, the maid would also be the
one to have the child's back-pack on her back while the child sat
in his seat carefree and legs a-dangling in what might be
considered a rather pitifully helpless looking posture.

One would be forgiven for thinking that the child suffered
from some infirmity or disability that meant that he could not
use the bike for himself, but this is not the case. Upon arrival
at the school's entrance he would happily skip from his seat and
show some childish eagerness to enter school whilst his maid
struggled to put the back-pack down and have him pull it --
trolley-like -- on its wheels the few steps between the curbside
and the school door.

There can be little doubt that this child was being treated
excessively. In effect a child that ought to be developing a
sense of independence and the ability to do things for himself
and make choices and decisions for himself was being continually
treated like a baby. The result of such treatment is unlikely to
be particularly positive or constructive in building the child's
character and there are numerous examples of other children being
spoilt to the point that any development of independence is
almost entirely undermined.

Likewise, though, it is possible to see other situations in
which children are not getting opportunities to develop
independence. A key ingredient of independence must surely be
those abilities and skills to make choices and decisions for
one's-self. However, consistently children are robbed of
opportunities to develop such ability and skill by, what may
quite easily be apportioned as, heavy-handed impositions of
control and institutionalized demands for conformity.

Schools and teachers may often be guilty of simply impressing
on children their "need to conform" without simultaneously
offering them the chance to understand, appreciate and "buy-into"
why they should or might conform. An example of this would be the
restrictive and prescriptive way in which textbooks can often be
used in schools. Essentially textbooks can be seen as being used
as prescribing and effectively limiting school students' powers
of critical thought.

There is a consistency with which people expect there to be a
"textbook" that children will follow in school but this can be
seen as unfortunate and limiting. There is even a tendency for
teachers to become "textbook dependent" for their teaching and,
in turn, the students may become dependent on a textbook which
may well prove inadequate and insufficient.

It is surely far better for students to develop skills of
being able to source information from many different resources
(whether a variety of books, newspapers, magazines, the internet
and so on) and, ultimately, build-up a view of the world that
reflects their own sense of independence rather than their
dependence on a singular and possibly incomplete or inaccurate
source.

The American essayist George Santayana once noted that
"Declarations of Independence make nobody independent." Perhaps
it would be appropriate for us to think of this at this time of
Indonesia's Independence Day and think of how it applies to
children. Children need to be given chances to nurture their own
sense of independence.

Prescriptive, restrictive and authoritarian declarations of
independence do little to foster and assist in the positive
development of independence and the simultaneous appreciation and
respect for our shared and much needed interdependence.

We can create learning environments for children that
encourage their independence and lead them towards self-reliance.
Qualities such as this can mean that they care more about
themselves, about each other and about what they are doing and
achieving. True independence interwoven with the knowledge of our
interdependence will, almost inevitably, create learning and
developmental opportunities that are far more fruitful and
beneficial to the individual and society as a whole.

It is right and proper to celebrate and commemorate
Indonesia's independence but perhaps the most fitting way of
celebrating and commemorating it is by giving future generations
a true sense of independence. Leaving children to be the subject
of over-zealous "help" or excessive "control" will not serve the
legacy of independence well.

The writer is Executive Principal of the High/Scope Indonesia
School, Jakarta. The views expressed above are personal.